The current process for handling film cartridges containing exposed photographic film in a photofinishing laboratory includes the steps of cross referencing an incoming envelope with the film which was contained in the envelope and splicing a plurality of film strips together into a large roll of generally seventy-five films prior to film processing. The roll of spliced film is then sent to a processing station to develop the film, after which the images of each frame are exposed onto photographic paper. The roll of photographic paper is then developed.
The roll of film and the roll of paper is sent to the finishing station to be cut into film strips and prints, respectively, then matched and inserted to the original envelopes. The process of inserting film strips and prints into the envelopes is generally a time consuming manual process.
An alternative method of handling film cartridges during the photofinishing process has been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,093,686 issued Mar. 3, 1992. The film cartridge containing an exposed film is transported through the photofinishing process. The film is subjected to development and/or printing with one end of the film fixed to a spool of the film cartridge.